Question

Read the story summary below, and think about author’s purpose.

One of Heather’s favorite pastimes is to go to the mall with her girlfriends and buy jewelry and
accessories and items to decorate her room. Her mother has told her that she must limit her
trips to the mall, and they have an argument about the new rules. One day Heather’s
grandmother visits and shows her old photos of herself at about Heather’s age, and of her home
when she was a girl. Her grandmother points out some of the items in the pictures, and Heather
finds them charming. The next day, her grandmother takes Heather to a flea market. They have a
pleasant day, and Heather finds a beautiful old canister that will be perfect for holding her
brushes, noting that it is less expensive than similar items she has seen at the mall. After this
special day with her grandmother, Heather decides to start buying most of the things she needs
from flea markets, thrift stores, and antique shops.
How do the conflict and resolution in this story help suggest the author’s purpose?


The photos and the flea market experience help resolve the conflict between Heather and her mother, so the story shows a novel solution to a common problem.

Heather and her mother cannot agree about the rules for visiting the mall, so the mall is shown to cause a conflict.

Shopping at the flea market causes conflicts between Heather and her grandmother, so it is shown to be a bad idea.

The things Heather buys at the mall are newer than the things she buys at the flea market, so the story shows that conflicts between mother and daughter are silly.

Answer 1

"The photos and the flea market experience help resolve the conflict between Heather and her mother, so the story shows a novel solution to a common problem."

Explanation: The conflict (mom limiting mall trips) is resolved when Heather’s grandmother introduces her to older, charming items and thrift shopping. That resolution shows an alternative (buying secondhand/antique items and compromising) rather than simply condemning the mall, so the author's purpose is to suggest a creative compromise and appreciation for thrift/nostalgia.